Former state ferry, in service for 50 years, leaves Alaska

KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) – A former state ferry has departed from Alaska after serving in the Alaska Marine Highway System since 1963.

The Ketchikan Daily News reports the Taku left Ward Cove in southeast Alaska Tuesday morning and is headed for Singapore.

The Alaska Department of Transportation transferred ownership of the vessel to Jabal Al Lawz Trading Est, a Dubai-based company, in January.

It was sold for $171,000.

The Taku was pulled out of the transportation system in 2015 due to budgetary concerns.

Co-owner Ben Evans says he hopes to sell the ship to be repurposed as a yacht.

According to Evans, the trip to Singapore is expected to take about a month.

If the vessel is not sold there, it will continue to India for scrapping.

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